Very excited to be in Food Arts Magazine again! Last month, magazine founder, Ariane Batterberry, Joan Nathan and I raced around the DC area hopping from dinner to dinner for the wonderful Sips & Suppersevent (read more about that here). This month, Ariane recounted her impression’s of exploring DC’s booming food scene in her editor’s note. What a nice present to come home to from Iceland! (just you wait for those pictures…)

After the tasting for the public wrapped up, we moved up to the grand ballrooms in the Willard for a cocktail reception followed by an amazing dinner. It goes without saying, that things got a little sillier at this point!

Like I could resist photographing the delicious food…

French Ambassador, François Delattre, addressed the attendees (including the Portuguese and Finnish Ambassadors) about the importance of the wine industry in Bordeaux and the strong relationship between the US and France.

It finally went public this week that Marjie is taking over for Logan Cox when he leaves Ripple in just a couple of weeks! We’ve all loved Marjie’s work at Chef Mike Isabella’s Graffiato, and I’m just so happy that Logan’s successor at a restaurant that prides itself on sourcing locally came from right here in DC.

We did a bunch of portraits of Marjie in her new digs yesterday… and just in time: Plate Magazine made a photo request before I had even gotten home from the shoot!

Much thanks to Bijan Jabbari who reports to Le Figaro from Washington. You can see the article below. My photo is the 2nd one of many of the winemakers with the Ambassador of France, François Delattre.

Was so happy to see my image that I took for Ripple‘s Grillled Cheese Bar up on CityEats‘ blog The Plate. If you haven’t swung by Cleveland Park for happy hour or a late night gourmet grilled cheese, you’re missing out!

On Saturday evening, I had the immense pleasure of joining my friends for a dinner party. Anyone who knows me will tell you that a Saturday night to just be with friends happens once in a blue moon. (And to be honest, I was late for dinner coming back from 2 shoots that day… but that’s the definition of a “free Saturday night” in my world!)

Katie & Allan have one of the most well-appointed kitchens I’ve ever seen of a home chef. Their cookbook collection alone had me drooling. Knowing them, I was prepared for a treat, but when I saw the setting, I couldn’t get a plate-full fast enough. My goodness, they are as talented as they are endearing.

I couldn’t resist snapping a few shots of my pals and foodies extraordinaire enjoying the merriment. Unfortunately, not everyone is pictured as I decided to put the camera down and enjoy. Derek Brown (@betterdrinking) and his lovely wife, Chantal Tseng (@ShinobiPaws) tweeted a few of the feast, if you would like to scope out some of the food.

Worry not… you’ll be seeing more of them since I’m documenting Katie & Allan’s epicurean wedding at the Ashby Inn in a few weeks time. Cannot wait!